Paris (AFP)
Host Karine Lemarchand, famous for the presentation of the television program "Happiness is in the meadow", kicked off on Sunday a vast national debate, which will last three months, on agriculture and how to use the European funds intended for it.
"In France, we are very strong at complaining and rebelling, and for the first time, we will also be able to propose: if the French seized this right, it would be great," said the godmother of the operation launched by the National Commission for Public Debate (CNDP) during the Paris Agricultural Show.
The debate, called "ImPACtons", is led by academics, responsible for ensuring the neutrality of the process and above all taking into account all opinions. It will be closed on May 31 and its conclusions will be sent to the government, which will have to integrate them to draft its National Strategic Plan (NSP) setting out the country's priorities in agriculture.
The plans of the 27 EU countries are awaited by the European Commission to develop the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the period 2021-2027.
"This is not a debate on French agricultural policy, it is a debate on European agricultural policy," said Agriculture Minister Didier Guillaume during the presentation.
He sees there "a unique opportunity to reconcile the two France, that of the bobos of the cities and that of the inhabitants of the rurality" and wishes that "the greatest possible number of citizens" take part in the debates to "defend the future of our food ".
The organizers have planned a whole series of devices to encourage popular participation, including an internet platform, where internet users can give their opinion and will have until March 23 to "participate in the prioritization" of the CAP's objectives. Agricultural unions, NGOs, associations and professional organizations will be able to publish "stakeholder notebooks" there, in which to set out their respective visions.
A citizens' assembly on agriculture (ACA) composed of 140 people drawn by lot and coming from each region of France will meet from March 27 to 29 to prioritize agricultural priorities.
More than 30 public debates will be organized (two in each region).
Finally, the site provides a "kit" for organizing in-house debates.
© 2020 AFP